Building peace is complex and long-term – it requires patience, perseverance and commitment. We make an impact at different levels of society: community, political and international.
What separately are small steps – to change attitudes, develop understanding, encourage discussion and empower civil society - together can have a big impact on resolving conflict and preventing future violence.
Some of our recent achievements
Accord, policy and practice: demonstrated public support for peacebuilding
Caucasus: engaged youth in important discussions on conflict and peacebuilding
South Asia: increased interaction between policymakers from India and Pakistan
We successfully engaged key influencers in New Delhi and Islamabad, as well as from across Jammu and Kashmir, increasing collaboration between them. A number of dialogue events and meetings brought together senior policymakers, and participants emphasised the need for promoting regional cooperation and renewing dialogue.
Southeast Asia: provided mediation support to peace negotiations
As part of the International Contact Group, we have previously given and continue to provide support to the peace process between the Government of the Philippines and MILF. In addition, in 2017 the government and NDF negotiation panel requested Conciliation Resources to facilitate meetings – particularly in the areas of human rights and ceasefires.
Pacific: strengthened peacebuilding capacities of ex-combatant leaders
Our partner in Bougainville increased the analysis and peacebuilding skills of a group of 41 mid- and senior-level ex-combatant leaders from across Bougainville. This training improved the ability of this core group of Bougainville leaders to respond to conflict issues and threats to stability.
Horn of Africa: collated and fed diverse views into the Ogaden peace process
A peace and development conference we convened in Nairobi brought together diverse sectors of society from the Ogaden region – including elders, intellectuals, business people, diaspora, refugees, religious leaders, women and youth. As a result of the conference and prior consultations, a committee was formed which has been engaging with the conflict parties to feed perspectives of the participants into the formal peace process.
East and Central Africa: supported excluded women to engage in peacebuilding
We strengthened the skills, capacities and knowledge of women, including those in remote rural areas, enabling them to better advocate for peace. Through delivering training of trainers sessions and utilising a strong network of women across LRA-affected areas, we enabled 14 women peacebuilders to pass on their expertise to 662 others in twelve months, 400 of whom were women at the grassroots.
West Africa: established a strong network of peace platforms in northeast Nigeria to engage youth
During 2017, we supported over 550 youth from eleven communities to form a network of youth coalitions committed to promoting messages of peace and tolerance. Through these Youth Peace Platforms, young people rebuilt their confidence, processed the traumas they have experienced, analysed conflicts and voiced their needs and concerns.
Latin America: enabled the psychosocial healing and empowerment of Colombian diaspora women
The completion of a pilot phase of the Truth, Memory and Reconciliation Commission of Colombian Women in the diaspora, resulted in collating a total of 84 testimonies, and involving over 400 women across London and Barcelona.